2 BEGINNERS GUIDE TO FRUIT GROWING 



states, but these cases hardly form a sufficient ex- 

 ception to prove the rule. 



Among old orchards a) e a few also planted with 

 seedling (ungrafted) trees. In early days there was 

 some excuse though rarely adequate excuse for 

 using these seedlings. Today there is no reason 

 whatever for planting anything but grafted trees 

 anywhere in America that a garden can be made 

 or a farm opened up. When grafted or budded trees 

 can be bought at 15 to 35 cents each, now the almost 

 universal range of price, no man can afford to use 

 seedlings. 



ROOT-GRAFTING 



One of the commonest ways of propagating 

 nursery trees is by root-grafting. As this applies 

 principally to the apple, it may be described as 

 practiced with that fruit. 



The apple stocks are grown from seeds saved 

 from the cider mills. These seeds come largely 

 from the New England states, especially Vermont 

 and New Hampshire. The stocks are largely grown 

 in a few restricted localities. At one year old these 

 seedlings are dug, graded and sold to the nursery- 

 men, who use them both in budding and grafting. 

 Considerable quantities of similar seedling stocks 

 are now being imported annually from France. 

 These are known simply as French stocks, but they 

 are not 'essentially different from the American stocks. 



The amateur who wishes to do a little budding 

 or grafting for himself should imitate the average 

 nurseryman in buying his stocks ready grown. Of 

 course, anyone can sow apple seeds in his own 

 garden and can grow apple stocks just as easily as 



